Impartiality and Non-partisanship
Impartiality and Non-partisanship Impartiality is a norm of Justice holding that decisions should be based on objective standards, instead of on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the advantage to one person over another for unsuitable reasons. Impartiality is acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally well governments of different political persuasions. Impartiality means that civil bureaucrats in carrying out their official work, including functions like procurement, recruitment, delivery of Services etc., should take decisions based on merit alone. Impartiality implies that the behaviour of, and treatment by a bureaucrat to any individual or entity has to be exclusively on the basis of merit. An administrator has to take numerous major decisions such as recruitment, procurement and allotment. To make such decisions effective and efficient, there has to be absolute impartiality. Impartiality is the eminence of a person where one is impartial while allocating any goods or services among several people or selecting a person from a set of people based on certain set of abilities.
One must:
- serve the Government, whatever its political Persuasion, to the best of your ability in a way which maintains political impartiality and is in line with the requirements of this Code, no matter what your own political beliefs are;
- Act in a way which deserves and retains the confidence of Ministers, while at the same time ensuring that you will be able to establish the same relationship with those whom you may be required to serve in some future Government; and
- Comply with any restrictions that have been laid down on your political activities.
One must not:
- Act in a way that is determined by party political considerations, or
- Use official Resources for party political purposes; or
- Allow your personal political views to determine any advice you give or your actions.
It can be very hard to follow the above advice, especially when a Minister or Special Adviser does not share your view of the borderline between ‘explaining’ a policy and ‘defending’ it. It is even more difficult if you strongly support – or strongly object to – decisions that have been made, or might be made, by Ministers. It is not always possible to hide those views from colleagues, and it is sometimes difficult to hide them from those outside the Government with whom you come into frequent contact. But it is absolutely essential that you give no sign that you oppose the principles and underlying thrust of the Government’s policies, nor must you suggest that you do not respect your Minister.
It can be even more difficult to follow the above advice where minor decisions are concerned. (‘Of course I will try to get him to open your conference. It’s an important occasion’). But you will learn from bitter experience that the advice is sensible, for it is embarrassing all round when the Minister refuses to do what you suggest. There is, I am afraid, no alternative to sounding rather pathetic and merely promising that the case will be put to the Minister, adding that you cannot predict the result. Quite simply, it should never be possible for anyone to be able to criticise Ministers for failing to take your advice. And it is even more important that incoming Ministers should be unaware of the extent or otherwise of your personal support for their predecessors’ policies.
Ethical conduct of a civil servent
In the Public Administration organizations the civil servants are exercising their power of decision, day by day in many ways. Whether the action involves managing public resources in their role of interface with citizens or in the context of policy making, ethics represent a vital factor in creating and maintaining trust in government and its institutions. Yet public sector ethics must be understood as an activity and not as a statute.
Encouraging ethical behaviour is not just a list of rules or statutes to be achieved. For any public administration organizations, ethics means a continuous management process that supports business and government and is becoming a key factor for the functioning and development of the government. Preventing Corruption and improving Public Service management is the primary goal of promoting ethical standards for civil servants. Many governments have reviewed their policies on ethical conduct in public service being preoccupied by the problem of corruption and the declining trust in government.
Accountability
In ethics and governance, accountability is answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and the expectation of account-giving. As an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in the public sector, nonprofit and private (corporate) and individual contexts. In Leadership roles, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, governance, and implementation within the scope of the role or EMPLOYMENT position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences.
Internal rules and norms as well as some independent commission are mechanisms to hold civil servants within the administration of government accountable. Within department or ministry, firstly, behavior is bound by rules and regulations; secondly, civil servants are subordinates in a hierarchy and accountable to superiors. Nonetheless, there are independent “watchdog” units to scrutinize and hold departments accountable; legitimacy of these commissions is built upon their independence, as it avoids any conflicts of interests. The accountability is defined as “an element which is part of a unique responsibility and which represents an obligation of an actor to achieve the goal, or to perform the procedure of a task, and the justification that it is done to someone else, under threat of sanction”.
Courage
Having courage of conviction is imp for public service because its helps one to take bold decisions that can have effect on millions of people in one stroke. Having courage to do what one believes is best for the community requires awful lot of mental strength. This courage of conviction also helps in taking further decisions in the same line.
Objectivity is a central philosophical concept, related to reality and truth, which has been variously defined by sources. Generally, objectivity means the state or quality of being true even outside a subject’s individual biases, interpretations, feelings, and imaginings.
Objectivity is the last public administration core value. It entails respect, Equality, and fairness. It doesn’t matter whether someone has Money or not, they must be treated fairly. Discrimination plagues the world, and it is a public administrator’s job to make sure that the laws created do not infringe on any person’s rights. Everyone should be treated equally and with respect. It is never ok for a public administrator to belittle anyone based on political, cultural, or religious beliefs because that is not acting professionally. It is ok to have opinions, but this core public administration value means that everyone should be treated fairly regardless of socioeconomic status.,
Impartiality and non-partisanship are two important concepts in journalism. Impartiality means that a journalist should present all sides of an issue fairly and without bias. Non-partisanship means that a journalist should not take sides in a political or ideological debate.
There are a number of reasons why impartiality and non-partisanship are important. First, they help to ensure that the public has access to accurate and unbiased information. Second, they help to build trust between the public and the media. Third, they help to promote a healthy Democracy by allowing for the free and open exchange of ideas.
There are a number of challenges to impartiality and non-partisanship. One challenge is that journalists are human beings with their own biases. It is impossible for anyone to be completely impartial, but journalists should strive to be aware of their own biases and to minimize their impact on their reporting.
Another challenge is that journalists often work in environments that are not conducive to impartiality. For example, journalists may be pressured by their editors or publishers to slant their reporting in a particular way. They may also be subject to threats or intimidation from those who do not like their reporting.
Despite these challenges, it is important for journalists to strive for impartiality and non-partisanship. By doing so, they can help to ensure that the public has access to accurate and unbiased information. They can also help to build trust between the public and the media, and to promote a healthy democracy.
Bias is a tendency to favor one point of view over another. It can be conscious or unconscious, and it can be based on a variety of factors, such as personal experience, Education, and social background. Bias can affect the way we see the world, and it can lead us to make decisions that are not in our best interests.
Conflict of interest is a situation in which a person has a personal or financial interest that could interfere with their ability to make a fair and objective decision. Conflicts of interest can arise in any field, but they are particularly common in journalism. Journalists are often asked to report on issues that could affect them personally or financially. It is important for journalists to be aware of potential conflicts of interest and to take steps to avoid them.
Fairness is the quality of being just and impartial. It is important for journalists to be fair in their reporting. This means presenting all sides of an issue and giving equal weight to the arguments of each side. It also means avoiding personal attacks and name-calling.
Objectivity is the quality of being impartial and unbiased. It is important for journalists to be objective in their reporting. This means avoiding personal opinions and biases, and presenting the facts in a clear and concise way.
Open-mindedness is the quality of being willing to consider new ideas and perspectives. It is important for journalists to be open-minded in their reporting. This means being willing to listen to all sides of an issue, and to consider the possibility that they may be wrong.
Relevance is the quality of being important or significant. It is important for journalists to report on stories that are relevant to their audience. This means reporting on stories that have an impact on people’s lives, and that are likely to interest them.
Transparency is the quality of being open and honest. It is important for journalists to be transparent in their reporting. This means disclosing their sources, and explaining their methods of gathering information.
Unbiasedness is the quality of being fair and impartial. It is important for journalists to be unbiased in their reporting. This means avoiding personal opinions and biases, and presenting the facts in a clear and concise way.
Unpartisanship is the quality of being neutral or impartial. It is important for journalists to be nonpartisan in their reporting. This means avoiding taking sides in political or ideological debates, and presenting all sides of an issue fairly.
What is the difference between impartiality and non-partisanship?
Impartiality is the state of being fair and unbiased. Non-partisanship is the state of not being affiliated with any political party.
What are some examples of impartiality?
An impartial judge would listen to both sides of a case and make a decision based on the evidence, without being influenced by their own personal beliefs or biases.
A journalist who is impartial would report the news in a fair and unbiased way, without trying to promote any particular point of view.
What are some examples of non-partisanship?
A non-partisan politician would not be affiliated with any political party. They would be free to vote on issues based on their own beliefs, without being influenced by party loyalty.
A non-partisan organization would not be affiliated with any political party. It would be free to advocate for policies that it believes are in the best interests of the country, without being influenced by party politics.
Why is impartiality important?
Impartiality is important in many areas of life, including law, journalism, and politics. It is important for judges to be impartial so that they can make fair decisions in court cases. It is important for journalists to be impartial so that they can report the news in a fair and unbiased way. And it is important for politicians to be impartial so that they can represent the interests of all of their constituents, regardless of their political affiliation.
Why is non-partisanship important?
Non-partisanship is important in many areas of life, including government, business, and civil Society. It is important for government officials to be non-partisan so that they can make decisions that are in the best interests of the country, not just the interests of their political party. It is important for businesses to be non-partisan so that they can serve all of their customers, regardless of their political affiliation. And it is important for civil society organizations to be non-partisan so that they can advocate for the interests of all people, regardless of their political affiliation.
What are some challenges to impartiality and non-partisanship?
One challenge to impartiality is that it can be difficult to remain unbiased when making decisions. It is important to be aware of our own biases and to try to overcome them.
Another challenge to impartiality is that it can be difficult to be fair to everyone when there are competing interests. It is important to weigh all of the evidence and to make decisions that are in the best interests of all parties involved.
One challenge to non-partisanship is that it can be difficult to avoid being influenced by Political Parties. It is important to be aware of the biases of political parties and to try to avoid being influenced by them.
Another challenge to non-partisanship is that it can be difficult to remain neutral in the face of political conflict. It is important to be able to listen to all sides of an issue and to try to understand the perspectives of others.
What are some ways to promote impartiality and non-partisanship?
One way to promote impartiality is to educate people about the importance of being fair and unbiased. It is important to teach people how to identify their own biases and how to overcome them.
Another way to promote impartiality is to create institutions that are designed to be impartial. For example, the judicial system is designed to be impartial, so that judges can make fair decisions in court cases.
One way to promote non-partisanship is to educate people about the importance of being neutral in the face of political conflict. It is important to teach people how to listen to all sides of an issue and to try to understand the perspectives of others.
Another way to promote non-partisanship is to create organizations that are designed to be non-partisan. For example, the United Nations is designed to be non-partisan, so that it can advocate for the interests of all people, regardless of their political affiliation.
Sure, here are some multiple choice questions about the following topics:
- The role of the media in a democracy
- The importance of a free press
- The dangers of censorship
The ethics of journalism
The media plays a vital role in a democracy by:
(a) Providing information to citizens so they can make informed decisions.
(b) Holding the government accountable.
(c) Allowing for the free exchange of ideas.
(d) All of the above.A free press is essential for a democracy because it:
(a) Allows citizens to be informed about the issues.
(b) Helps to hold the government accountable.
(c) Allows for the free exchange of ideas.
(d) All of the above.Censorship is dangerous because it:
(a) Suppresses dissent and prevents the free flow of information.
(b) Can lead to the spread of misinformation and propaganda.
(c) Can be used to control the Population and stifle dissent.
(d) All of the above.Journalists have a responsibility to:
(a) Be accurate and fair in their reporting.
(b) Be objective and impartial.
(c) Be transparent about their sources.
(d) All of the above.The following are examples of ethical issues that journalists face:
(a) Conflicts of interest.
(b) Plagiarism.
(c) Harassment.
(d) All of the above.
I hope these questions are helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions.